Three-month prison sentence for Roscrea man driving while disqualified with no driving licence

A Roscrea man received a three-month prison sentence and an eight-year driving ban for driving with no insurance at Nenagh District Court. 

PJ Delaney (33) of Carrick View, Glentarra, Roscrea, pleaded guilty to driving with no licence and no insurance on Grove Street, Roscrea, on July 29, 2024. 

The court heard that on the day of the incident, the defendant had attempted to evade the gardaí. 

Gardaí stopped the car, and the defendant admitted he had been disqualified from driving and had no insurance. 

The court also heard that the defendant had been given a suspended prison sentence at Portlaoise District Court for criminal damage which would now be triggered. 

The defendant had 55 previous convictions, with 14 of those under the Road Traffic Act 1961.

However, the solicitor acting for the defendant asked for leniency as the suspended sentence had not received that suspended sentence for a driving matter. 

The solicitor said his client accepted he should not have been driving. 

Judge Fiona Brennan said it was “not appropriate” for the defendant to be driving while disqualified and that he had already been given the benefit of a suspended sentence. 

“An opportunity was given and wasted on him,” said Judge Brennan.

Judge Brennan imposed a three-month prison sentence and further disqualified him from driving for eight years for no insurance. 

Judge Brennan took the charge of driving without a valid driving license into consideration when sentencing.